Physical Computing Weblog

Here's an image map of the development of this idea. Although there is a definet beginning and end the points in between are rather murky. We all came to the discussion with differnt inspirations and impressions. None of these ideas were particularly contradictory but it still took three to four days to distill our varying notions into a workable concept and prototype.

Scott was a wizrd with turning the conversations into workable sketches and prototypes see his handiwork here: http://itp.nyu.edu/~sc1948/blogs/

The Map...

Scott and I remembered the simplicity of the plaster of paris hand print. The physicality of the pressing of the hand and the positive feedback derived from leaving an imprint of your identity on a surface to be interpreted later held a certain fascination...

The Dyson Airblade caught my eye in the Business section. The use of the hands to trigger the device seemed intriguing. As a group we had been discussing the crystal ball and other types of divination. A question arose: how do you create an electronic device that has the aura and simplicity of casting coins with the I,Ching?

YanYan was struck by the loading graphic that has become ubiquitous with flash-driven websites. We thought to reinterpret it using LED's circling a hand...

The process became rather non-linear after that...

An early sketch from a wide-ranging discussion about handprints, loading graphics and the benefits of a portable device.

From the second day of design deliberations when Scott appeared with multiple iterations of our varying ideas...
I loved the simplicity of this one which used frisbees in a make-up compact styled configuration to create a device that would enable both the boolean and i,ching-like predictions.

We struggled to find a desing that represented our desire to have both decision-,aking systems represented. Our observations seemed to dictate that a devic with two options—one short and direct and the other illuminating and open to interpretation.

We all agreed that there was a certain practicality to seperating out the two readings across the right and left hands. But it seemed really big! We struggled to find a solution that would involve one unit that would reveal two differnt readings without creating a mapping nightmare!

The ipod-like contemporary design. Representing a boolean system it features a translucent plexi "dance floor" lit up by LEDs, the reading is triggered by the placement of the hand on the "trampoline."

After a long walk in the wilderness of completely different ideas and interfaces
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We returned to the original design with a re-newed focus>>>

The Winning Sketch for the Early Prototype...